China
Chemical Plant Explosion
On Thursday, at least 47 people were killed and more than 640 injured during an explosion at a Tianjiayi Chemical Company owned pesticide plant in Yancheng, Jiangsu province. The explosion occurred shortly before 3 p.m. local time and was so powerful, it apparently triggered a 2.2 magnitude earthquake. The blast knocked down several factory buildings and shattered windows as far as 2.5 miles (four kilometers) from the site. Fatal industrial accidents are common in China, with incidents occurring as recently as last November when at least 22 people died and 22 more injured after a chemical explosion in northern Zhangjiakou.
This map depicts the location of the chemical factory blast. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: BBC
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Iraq
Nowruz Ferry Sinking
On Thursday, at least 94 people, mostly women and children died when an overloaded ferry capsized on the Tigris River near the Iraqi city of Mosul. The flat bottom boat was ferrying passengers celebrating the Kurdish New Year (Nowruz) to a small island nearby. According to officials, the majority on board did not know how to swim. At least 55 people, including 19 children, were rescued. The river’s water level has reportedly risen in recent days due to heavy rains, snow melt from nearby mountains and the opening of the nearby Mosul Dam. Nowruz dates back to 1700 B.C. and incorporates Zoroastrian traditions. It is celebrated across the territory that once made up the ancient Persian Empire.
This map depicts the location of the ferry sinking. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: BBC
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Myanmar
Bride Trafficking
A new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW), “Give Us a Baby and We’ll Let You Go: Trafficking of Kachin ‘Brides’ from Myanmar to China” details the trafficking of women, some as young as 14 from Myanmar’s conflict-ravaged northern Kachin and Shan states. The report reveals the majority of women trafficked to China as “brides” were sold by trusted people, including family members, promising jobs in China. The women were typically locked in a room and raped to become pregnant. The report indicates that China’s now-abolished one-child policy — which resulted in an estimated 30 to 40 million “missing girls” in China due to a preference for boys — has been a huge driving factor in the increased demand for marriageable women.
This map depicts Kachin State where women are being trafficked into China. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: Which country has the most islands?
A: Sweden
According to World Atlas, Sweden has an estimated 221,800 islands, the majority of which are not inhabited. Its capital of Stockholm, is an archipelago of fourteen islands connected with over 50 bridges.
Source
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Q: Which lake holds 20% of the world’s unfrozen fresh water?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in Monday’s DailyGeo.
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